John Calvin Commentary Zechariah 2:9

"For, behold, I will shake my hand over them, and they shall be a spoil to those that served them; and ye shall know that Jehovah of hosts hath sent me." — Zechariah 2:9 (ASV)

Christ continues to relate the commands of the Father, for He speaks in the Father's person when He says, Behold, I shake my hand over them (that is, over enemies), and they shall be a prey to their own servants. He means that however numerous and strong the enemies who might seek to injure the Jews would be, they would still be safe, for they would be protected by the hand of God. Not only that, but whatever their enemies would attempt to do would be in vain, for the Lord would degrade them and make them a prey to the Jews themselves. By servants, He undoubtedly means the Jews, who for a time had been oppressed by the tyranny of their enemies.

It is certain that this prophecy was not fulfilled at the time when the Jews thought that they were in a flourishing state and enjoying prosperity, for their condition was even then very wretched and degrading. For from where did their kings come? Certainly not from the tribe of Judah. We all know how tyrannically they were governed and also that the kingdom was filled with many abominable sins and cruelties.

They had almost all become parricides; and whoever reads their history will find that brothers were oppressed by brothers, and that even parents were cruelly and wickedly treated. In short, not to mention other things, nothing could have been more abominable than the family of Herod.

We cannot, therefore, apply this prophecy to that time which intervened between the return from the Babylonian exile and the coming of Christ. It is, then, only under the kingdom of Christ that God accomplished what is said here—that enemies became a prey to His spiritual people, that is, when they were subdued and brought under the yoke of Christ. For, as we have said elsewhere, the government of the Church is vested in its Head.

Hence, where Christ shines, there the Church, which is His body, is said to reign, for it is Christ's will that He should have nothing apart from His members.

We now see the Prophet's intention: he wished to dispel the fear of the Jews, so that they would not hesitate to return to their country. For not only was a way opened for them, but their happiness under God’s protection was also confirmed and made certain, since He had not begun a glorious work in vain but fully intended to carry it on to the end.

He says, Behold, I shake my hand. The shaking of the hand shows that God has no need of many forces to put His enemies to flight, nor of a large expedition, for as soon as He raises His hand, He lays them all prostrate.

In short, the Prophet reminds us that God has hands which extend far, for He can by mere shaking conquer all enemies, however distant they may be. We also see that the ease with which God executes His purpose was mentioned so that the Jews might feel assured. They could be confident that as soon as it pleased God to put forth His strength, He would have no difficulty, for by the single motion of His finger He could destroy all the enemies who might rise up against them.

He afterwards adds, And you shall know that Jehovah of hosts has sent me. To consider this as an address to the faithful may not seem suitable, for faith is connected with knowledge, as we are taught by John:

We know that we are the children of God (1 John 3:2).

For the certainty which rests on God’s word exceeds all knowledge. Why then does the Prophet say, And we shall know that Jehovah has sent me? For the faithful should have been previously certain about the mission of Christ; otherwise, an approach to God was closed, because access to His favor, we know, is opened by faith. The Jews must, therefore, have been assured from the beginning about the mission of Christ.

But it is to be observed that there are two kinds of knowledge—the knowledge of faith and what they call experimental knowledge. The knowledge of faith is that by which the godly feel assured that God is true and that what He has promised is indubitable. This knowledge at the same time penetrates beyond the world and goes far above the heavens, so that it may know hidden things, for our salvation is concealed. Things seen, says the Apostle, are not hoped for (Romans 8:24).

It is no wonder, then, that the Prophet says that the faithful shall then know that Christ has been sent by the Father—that is, by actual experience or in reality: You shall then know that Jehovah has sent me. He afterwards adds—